All You Leave Behind
by emilyelizabethminusclifford
Summary: How far would you go to save a friend? AU WARNING: Story contains violence, blood, gore, minor coarse language, and disturbing images. May not be suitable for some readers.


**Hi. Emily Elizabeth here. I didn't really plan on posting any more stories on this website but…but there are almost 50 NERDS stories now. So… I thought, why not? This story is weird, in more ways than one, but I hope you like it anyways. Also they aren't spies in this one. Yeah, I just felt like it would be too much trying to incorporate that… oh well.**

The school bell rang, signaling the end of another tedious day at the middle school. He began walking home on the same path by the woods, like every day... But today it felt... Unusual. He brushed off the queer feelings- there was nothing odd here. It wouldn't go away. A thought slipped into his head, though it didn't quite feel like his own.

_Shouldn't be here._ He thought. _It just doesn't feel right. _Yet, he still continued walking, still continued to tell himself he was just being silly.

_Rustle. _

The sound came from behind him. He turned around.

Nothing.

"Is anyone there?" He called uneasily. No reply came. His every hair stood on end. _Probably just an animal, that's all. Don't be irrational._

_Shuffle._

_Shuffle._

There it was again, but now it was clear that it was human footsteps.

"H-h-hello?!"

_Shuffle._

_Shuffle._

_CRACK!_

The figure burst into his line vision so quickly, he barely had time to process it. The figure, silhouetted black as a shadow against the sun pulled out a glittering silver weapon. It was peculiar, almost sword like, but with the ridges of a saw- not that he took much time to ponder it - he ran. The shadowy creature gave chase. It was fast, and soon the thing had caught up to him and tackled him to the ground. The figure was strong- he couldn't escape. It jabbed its weapon towards his chest. He screamed, loud as he could, hoping someone- anyone! - would hear! His attempts were in vain. The weapon ripped across his midsection, and then everything went dark.

.

.

.

Heathcliff Hodges woke up in his room still screaming, before toppling out of bed and smashing his head on the floor. He was certain if he continued at this rate, he'd lose twenty IQ points by next week. Rubbing his head crossly, he reflected on the reoccurring dream. He'd been having the exact same one for the past 30 days- 30walks home, 30 shadowy figures, and 30 murders. And it always held that same stark, disturbingly realistic quality- so much so that he could never forget it when he woke up. His "counselor" (everyone knew she was really a shrink, but they insisted on him avoiding that word) said that it was just reflect sadness and anxiety and worry and blah blah blah, but he knew why the dreams had started. The night the first one came had been a very dark night indeed...

It had started the night Ruby Peet went missing.

That day had started out pretty normal. Ruby had decided to stay after school for one reason or another, he didn't remember that. What was important was that she never made it home. Heathcliff could remember that afternoon perfectly clearly.

•At four o' clock, his friend hadn't passed his house on her way home like she should have (they lived pretty close), but he didn't think much of it. He'd thought he just didn't see her.

•At 5:34, Ruby's mother had called them to see if she was with Heathcliff- saying she'd never returned from school and that she wasn't anywhere- at the library, with any of her friends, or still at school. He was overcome with worry at this news- Ruby was his best friend- she had to be okay!

•At 6:07 the police were notified. Heathcliff had wanted to help find her, but they were "suggesting" all the kids stay inside for now. Turns out "suggesting" meant "required".

So, he stayed inside and paced circles in his room.

The police found nothing.

It was as if she had completely vanished.

•At 7:23, Ruby Peet was declared a missing person.

• At 1:45 am, when he'd at last been able to fall asleep, he had the dream for the first time. Just like the one he'd had tonight, it ended with him waking up in a screaming fit and falling off the bed. He told himself not to get so freaked out; it had just been a dream. He really tried to sleep again that night, but it just wouldn't come. He barely slept at all after the nightmares began.

After the first couple weeks, his friends and family began to notice a difference in him. He was tired and distracted all the time, always worried about Ruby, or the dreams, or whether or not he was going crazy. The worry began rapidly changing to anxiety and eventually to a state of depression. That's when his teacher suggested to his parents that he start to see someone about his "issue". That person happened to be Dr.K. Heathcliff felt that he'd rather be dragged across a field of cacti than talk to her. She was the most absolutely fake being he'd ever met.

She tried to equate his dreams to fear for Ruby, or fear that something might happen to him, or his depression. She said they'd go away eventually; it was just part of the grieving process. He thought different though.

Having dreams like this just wasn't _normal._

He didn't mean supernatural in any way. He believed firmly in fact and only fact. Heathcliff was convinced he had developed a mental illness. He sighed and crawled back into bed. There was still five hours until morning, when he could get ready for school.

Until then, he'd just have to wait.

**Well, thanks for reading. I hope I can update soon.**


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